LIBERATION

 

Note: this compilation is for understanding of what -exactly- liberation entails.

SB 1.9.27 P The Passing Away of Bhismadeva in the Presence of Lord Krsna
AS FAR AS SALVATION IS CONCERNED, ONE HAS TO CONQUER THE PRINCIPLES OF LUST, ANGER, UNLAWFUL DESIRES, AVARICE AND BEWILDERMENT. To get freedom from anger, one should learn how to forgive. To be free from unlawful desires one should not make plans. By spiritual culture one is able to conquer sleep. By tolerance only can one conquer desires and avarice. Disturbances from various diseases can be avoided by regulated diets. By self-control one can be free from false hopes, and money can be saved by avoiding undesirable association. By practice of yoga one can control hunger, and worldliness can be avoided by culturing the knowledge of impermanence. Dizziness can be conquered by rising up, and false arguments can be conquered by factual ascertainment. Talkativeness can be avoided by gravity and silence, and by prowess one can avoid fearfulness. Perfect knowledge can be obtained by self-cultivation. One must be free from lust, avarice, anger, dreaming, etc., to actually attain the path of salvation.
As far as the women class are concerned, they are accepted as a power of inspiration for men. As such, women are more powerful than men. Mighty Julius Caesar was controlled by a Cleopatra. Such powerful women are controlled by shyness. Therefore, shyness is important for women. Once this control valve is loosened, women can create havoc in society by adultery. Adultery means production of unwanted children known as varna-sankara, who disturb the world.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Note: ALL THE MOTHERS OF MY DISCIPLES, THEY WILL GET SALVATION
750705rc.ch

750705rc.chi Conversations
Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, because you are presenting this knowledge so purely, then it’s possible for the common man to understand this knowledge without chanting and following the four regulative principles.
Prabhupada: That is not possible. That is not possible. Ceto-darpana-marjanam. You have to cleanse the mirror of your consciousness, then the reflection will be properly viewed. If you keep it dirty, then it is not possible. Therefore we require first-class men to understand this philosophy, not the fourth-class man. If you keep him fourth-class man, it is not possible.
Devotee (2): We are giving these books to so many common men. Then the books will attract them to perhaps chanting and following the regulative principles.
Prabhupada: Yes, if they read. Even if they touch. That is the difference between this book and ordinary book. Even they touch and they read one line and says, “Oh, it is very nice,” he makes a step forward. If he simply says this word, “Oh, it is very nice,” that is sufficient to bring him. Therefore I am trying to push. He has paid some money. He will then say, “What these nonsense have written. Let me see.” (laughter) And if he sees and says, “Oh, it is very nice,” then the beginning is immediately. Therefore we are trying to push. At least let him say, “It is very nice.” The Kartikeya’s mother, the practical experience… The Kartikeya, when he used to go to see his mother, the mother was going to dance, ball dance, and she would not speak: “All right, sit down. I am coming.” She used to go out. The same mother gradually, in the association of her son, became Krsna conscious. So at the time of death she asked Kartikeya, “Is your Krsna here?” and she died immediately. This is the effect. So anta-kale, she remembered Krsna, so her life was successful. She inquired like this, “Is your Krsna here?” And immediately died. So she got the benefit of her son’s Krsna consciousness. You can ask Kartikeya also. She said that.
Jayatirtha: Yes, he told me that story.
Prabhupada: Yes. SO ALL THE MOTHERS OF MY DISCIPLES, THEY WILL GET SALVATION BECAUSE SHE HAS GOT NICE SON LIKE…
Jayatirtha: All the mothers will get salvation.
Prabhupada: Oh, yes.
Mrs. Wax: Oh, good. (laughter)
Devotee (3): What about the fathers.
Prabhupada: FATHER ALSO. BOTH THE FATHER AND MOTHER. BECAUSE THEY ARE FATHER AND MOTHER OF A VAISNAVA DEVOTEE, SO THEY WILL BE TAKEN SPECIAL CARE. YOU’LL FIND FROM THE PRAHLADA MAHARAJA’S DESCRIPTION. EVEN A FATHER LIKE HIRANYAKASIPU, HE GOT SALVATION BECAUSE PRAHLADA WAS SON.
Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, it seems strange that so many parents who are engaged in meat-eating and illicit sex and intoxication and gambling, could have a son who would become a Vaisnava.
Prabhupada: THEREFORE THEY WILL GET THE ADVANTAGE OF THE SON. SOMEHOW OR OTHER, THEY HAVE PRODUCED A SON, VAISNAVA, SO THE SON’S ACTIVITIES WILL REACT UPON THE LIFE OF THE PARENTS. BECAUSE NATURALLY THE SONS THINK OF THE FATHER AND MOTHER, THAT IS BENEFICIAL FOR THEM. HOWEVER ONE MAY BE RENOUNCED, HE CANNOT GET RID OF FAMILY AFFECTION. THAT IS NATURAL. SO THE VAISNAVA SON SOMETIMES THINKS OF THE FATHER AND MOTHER. SO THEY ARE GETTING THE BENEFIT.
Devotee: So sometimes the attachment is beneficial, then?
Prabhupada: Yes. What is this Krsna consciousness movement? We are trying to be attached with Krsna. This is our movement. Instead of having attachment with this whole material world, we are turning to transfer the attachment to Krsna. Find out this verse,

mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu

The whole movement is how to increase attachment for Krsna. Yes, read.
Nitai:

sri-bhagavan uvaca
mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu

“Now hear, O son of Prtha, Arjuna, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full…”
Prabhupada: “With mind attached to Me.” This Krsna consciousness movement means to keep the mind attached to Krsna. That is success. That yoga we are practicing, how to keep the mind attached to Krsna. Then it is successful. Our mind is attached to something. Without attachment, mind cannot be free even for a moment. So the bhakti-yoga means how to transfer the attachment of mind to Krsna, that’s all. That is Krsna consciousness. You are working, you are rendering your service without any charges, without any profit–why? Because your mind has been attached to Krsna. Otherwise what business you have got to work for Krsna consciousness movement without any remuneration? You are all American boys. You are qualified. You can earn thousands of dollars. But why you have given up? Because you are attached to Krsna. Param drstva nivartate. You have found better attachment; therefore you given up. So that is Krsna consciousness. We are attached to so many nonsense things. When we wind up all these attachments and concentrate on Krsna, then life is perfect. That is wanted. We are not going to sacrifice attachment. But we are trying to transfer the attachment from matter to Krsna. Then our life is successful. But that attachment is very rare.

manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascid vetti mam tattvatah

So our business is, spiritual master’s business is, how to help the disciple to transfer the attachment. It is not that we are creating an, it, artificially, no. The attachment quality is there. But it is being mixed up with material things. And if you purify this material contamination, then the attachment become pure, and that is Krsna consciousness. Just like the water falls from the sky. It is distilled water. And as soon as it is in touch with the ground it becomes muddy, dirty. Again that water, if you distill, again it becomes distilled water, as good as the rain water, original. Therefore bhakti means sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam. All the dirty things of designation should be cleansed. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam. When the mind is cleansed, nirmalam, without any dirty thing, then you can begin bhakti immediately, Krsna conscious. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. So bhakti means cleansing process. Originally, distilled water from the sky, in touch with the ground, it is muddy. You filter it or distill it; it becomes original. The consciousness is there, but it has become muddy. You cleanse it; it is Krsna consciousness. Therefore we say, “Don’t do this. Don’t do this.” Don’t mix again muddy things. It has already become muddy. Your business to cleanse it, and again if you make it muddy with addition of other nonsense things, then it will be delayed. When you ignite fire, you require dry wood. But if you ignite fire, at the same time pour water, then how it will burn? Don’t pour water. Therefore we have so many “don’ts.” “Don’ts” means that you are burning the fire. Go on. Don’t add water. And that is “don’t.” If you ignite fire, at the same time add water, then how it will burn? Water is the counter-ingredient of fire. If you want to extinguish fire, then add water. But if you want to prolong the fire burning, then you should not add water. So this material enjoyment, illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, gambling, one should be free from these water-like things while you are in the fire of spiritual consciousness. Don’t bring these things. You cannot go on burning the fire, at the same time adding water. Then it will be useless waste of time. Anartha upasamam. Anartha upasamam saksad bhakti-yogam. Bhakti-yogam means anartha, unwanted things, upasamam, subsiding. This is anartha. Just like we don’t eat meat. Are we dying for want of meat? But they have taken it that without eating meat they will die. This is nonsense. And they are maintaining so many slaughterhouses, committing sinful life, only for misunderstanding. They do not see that “Here are some persons. They do not eat meat. They look very bright-faced. Why should I eat meat?” Anartha, unnecessarily, simply for the taste of the tongue, they are committing so much sinful activities. So just we are teaching, “Just control your tongue.” That is called samah damah.” Because the tongue wants something, I have to eat, give it–that is not human civilization. If I control my tongue–tongue wants this thing; I say, “No, not this thing; you take this thing,”–then you are master. You are master of the senses. Otherwise you are servant of the senses. Because some of my senses want something… That is natural. But if I can control: “No, this not. This,” that is called samah, damah. And if I become victim of the dictation of the senses, then I cannot make progress in my spiritual life; I am third-class, fourth-class man. Mind wants to steal something. If you can control, “No, why stealing?” Then you are master. (end)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

771025rc.vrn Conversations
Hari-sauri: You saw him in Bombay last year. He had just done some drawings for the development of Bhubaneshwar, and you asked him if he would like… Oh, Haridaspur. At that time he was working on some plans for Haridaspur, and you asked him if he would like to stay there. He’s… Bhagavata put that he had died of some brain virus.
Prabhupada: In Bhubaneshwar?
Hari-sauri: Yes. That is part of Jagannatha Puri dhama?
Prabhupada: Oh, yes.
Hari-sauri: IS THAT A GUARANTEE FOR GOING HOME, IF SOMEONE LEAVES THEIR BODY IN THE DHAMA?
Prabhupada: AT LEAST, HE GETS HIGH STANDARD OF LIFE FOR MANY YEARS. THAT IS STATED IN THE BHAGAVAD-GITA. Find out in Bhagavad-gita.
Hari-sauri: (pause) Prapya punya-krtam lokan?
Prabhupada: Hm.
Hari-sauri:

usitva sasvatih samah
sucinam srimatam gehe
yoga-bhrasto ‘bhijayate

Prabhupada: Read the whole verse.
Hari-sauri: The English?
Prabhupada: Or Sanskrit.
Hari-sauri: That was text 41. “The unsuccessful yogi, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people or into a family of rich aristocracy.” Then the next verse,

athava yoginam eva
kule bhavati dhimatam
etad dhi durlabhataram
loke janma yad idrsam

“Or he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists, who are surely great in wisdom. Verily, such a birth is rare in this world.”

tatra tam buddhi-samyogam
labhate paurva-dehikam
yatate ca tato bhuyah
samsiddhau kuru-nandana

“On taking such a birth, he again revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he tries to make further progress in order to achieve complete success, O son of Kuru.” (break) …telegram came today. It didn’t give the exact time, but it came from Bhubaneshwar.
Prabhupada: He was there?
Hari-sauri: Yes. He was working with Gaura-Govinda Maharaja.
Prabhupada: He is… He was coming from Australia.
Hari-sauri: Yes. He was from Melbourne. He gave up his family when he was fifty-one and joined the temple, and then he came here to work with Saurabha.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Note: “Well, liberation not always means that he goes directly”.
711212R1-DELHI
Nara-Narayana: I think she wanted to know what happens to the soul.
Supposing that a plant, we are killing the plant and offering in prasadam to Krsna. The jive soul who is living in the plant, what happens to him?
Prabhupada: Because he is killed for Krsna’s purpose, so he gets immediately liberation.
Lady devotee: This is a very sinful life they’re living, unless we offer everything to Krsna.
Prabhupada: Not anything. Krsna, whatever says, you… Krsna says, patram puspam phalam toyam [Bg. 9.26]. You can offer these things which is asked by Krsna.
Devotee: Do they just get liberation, or do they go directly to Krsna?
Prabhupada: Hmm?
Devotee: They go to Krsna, or do they only get liberation? Do they go to
Goloka Vrndavana?
Devotee: What kind of liberation?
Prabhupada: WELL, LIBERATION NOT ALWAYS MEANS THAT HE GOES DIRECTLY. IN THE LOWER STAGE, LIBERATION MEANS TO COME OUT OF THE LOWER STAGE TO THE HUMAN FORM OF BODY. THEN HE GETS CHANCE FOR DIRECTLY SERVING KRSNA, THEN REAL LIBERATION TAKES… [break]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

760910SB.VRN Lectures
That madness wanted. Yugayitam nimesena: one moment appears to be one yuga. One yuga means twelve years. So yugayitam nimesena caksusa pravrsayitam. Crying. There is tears in the eyes like the torrents of rain. Yugayitam nimesena caksusa… Sunyayitam jagat sarvam. “I feel the whole world is vacant.” Why? Govinda-virahena me. This madness is wanted. Without Govinda, that madness. So that madness (was) fully exhibited in Vrndavana by the gopis. They were mad after Krsna. When Krsna left Vrndavana, went to Mathura, they became so mad that they had no other business than caksusa pravrsayitam, simply crying torrents of rain. That is wanted. That is Vrndavana life. NOT THAT SEEKING AFTER SEX IN VRNDAVANA. THAT IS… THAT MEANS SUCH PERSON WILL HAVE TO TAKE BIRTH AS MONKEY NEXT LIFE. MONKEY. BECAUSE THEY HAVE TAKEN SHELTER OF VRNDAVANA, AND STILL THEY’RE INDULGING, MONKEY’S BUSINESS, SO THEY HAVE TO… IT IS KRSNA’S MERCY. TAT TE ‘NUKAMPAM SU-SAMIKSAMANAH. IN VRNDAVANA THE LAND, TRANSCENDENTAL LAND, THAT WILL NOT GO IN VAIN. BUT THESE PERSONS WHO ARE INDULGING UNNECESSARY SEX LIFE IN VRNDAVANA, THEY’LL HAVE TO TAKE BIRTH AS MONKEYS IN VRNDAVANA, AND THEN NEXT LIFE THEY’LL BE LIBERATED. SO OTHERWISE, WHY IN VRNDAVANA THE MONKEYS? THEY ARE ALSO DEVOTEES, BUT THEY COULD NOT PROCEED NICELY. SO ANIMAL LIFE MEANS STOPPING SINFUL ACTIVITIES, AND WHATEVER SINFUL REACTION IS THERE IN ONE LIFE FINISHED. We should be very, very careful. Dhama, dhama-aparadha. In the dhama… In other places if you chant Hare Krsna, the result of such chanting will be increased thousand times if you chant in Vrndavana. Similarly, in other place, the sinful activities, if you commit that sinful activity in Vrndavana, then it will be thousand times increased. So we have to be very careful.
So Krsna is very kind. Tat te ‘nukampam su-samiksa…, bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam. If we act impiously, we have to suffer. But for a devotee, karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam. Karmani nirdahati. Others, for sinful activities, they will have to continue, but if a devotee is in sinful activities, in one life it is finished. But don’t take this concession. We should be very much careful not to commit. So we shall have to increase our madness for harer gunaksipta-matir bhagavan badarayanih. And badarayani, Sukadeva Gosvami, is also addressed as Bhagavan. If one is mad after Bhagavan, he’s as good as Bhagavan. Harer aksipta. One who is mad after Bhagavan, he’s as good as Bhagavan. Therefore badarayani is addressed here as Bhagavan. In the spiritual world, Bhagavan and His paraphernalia, there is no difference. Don’t think that the calf or the cows in Vrndavana is less than Krsna. No. They’re as good as Krsna. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhih. THEY ARE EXPANSION OF KRSNA’S ANANDA-CINMAYA-RASA. KRSNA WANTS TO PLAY WITH THE COWS AND CALVES. SO HE’S ANANDA-CINMAYA. HIS SPIRITUAL POTENCY APPEARS AS COWS AND CALVES. THEREFORE WE SEE KRSNA IS EMBRACING THE CALVES AND COWS. HE’S NOT EMBRACING A MATERIAL COW. He has nothing to do with material. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhih.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

751205SB.VRN Lectures
But if one purposefully commits mistake and sinful life, “Now I am chanting Hare Krsna. I can do all sinful life. It will become counteracted,” that rascal will be punished very, very much. Namnad balad yasya hi papa-buddhih. “I am living in Vrndavana. Oh, it is dhama, so let me do all nonsense. It will be counteracted.” They’ll be these cats and dogs and monkeys in Vrndavana. Dhamaparadha. Dhamaparadha. Of course, Vrndavana’s influence will be there, but at least one life he has to become the hog and dog in Vrndavana. Then next life he’ll be… Because as soon as he becomes animal, there is no scope of unlimited committing sinful life. Animals are restricted. They can commit one kind of sinful life. That, the human being, because he is very intelligence, he commits unlimited duration of sinful life. That is another danger. SO ONE WHO COMMITS THIS SINFUL LIFE IN VRNDAVANA, REMEMBER, HE HAS TO BECOME NEXT LIFE CATS AND DOGS. THERE, AS YOU SEE, THERE ARE MANY DOGS, HOGS. BUT STILL, VRNDAVANA-DHAMA IS SO POWERFUL THAT NEXT LIFE HE WILL GET SALVATION, EVEN IF HE HAS BECOME DOGS AND HOGS. But that is not good. Why should we act in such a way that in Vrndavana-dhama we shall commit sinful life and become a cats and dog? Jaya jaya vrndavanavasi yata jana. We should be careful. We should be careful, especially in dhama, dhamaparadha.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

760907rc.vrn Conversations
Harikesa: The dogs and monkeys, they feel grateful?
Prabhupada: YES, WHEN THEY COME TO SENSE THEY FEEL GRATEFUL. AS DOGS THEY CANNOT. AS DOG OR MONKEY THEY CANNOT ENHANCE THEIR SINFUL ACTIVITIES. IT IS STOPPED. AND WHATEVER THEY DO, THAT IS NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. AND TO SUFFER AS DOG OR MONKEY MEANS COUNTERACTING ALL PREVIOUS SINS. ONE PUNISHMENT FINISHED. THEN HE’S FULLY LIBERATED.
Harikesa: I was always wondering that if somebody’s desire is to commit sinful activities…
Prabhupada: No, in Kali-yuga if you desire it is not sinful. And act…
Harikesa: If they desire to commit sinful activities and before they became monkeys, but then they were doing it then. So whilst they’re monkeys their desire must change. Or is it forced, that change forced upon them by the mercy of Krsna?
Prabhupada: But if desire changes, then where is punishment? If he’s repentant, then there is no punishment.
Harikesa: So before they go back to the spiritual world that desire must change.
Prabhupada: THIS IS FORCEFUL CHANGE. THAT IS THE ADVANTAGE OF VRNDAVANA BHAJANA.
Harikesa: That is very good. (laughs)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Note: here the devotee is given another chance to begin again his Krsna Consciousness in next life:
73-11-14. Letter: Revatinandana
Regarding the auto accident, just hold a condolence meeting for Raghava dasa brahmacari and pray for his soul to Krsna for giving him a good chance for advancement in Krsna consciousness. CERTAINLY KRSNA WILL GIVE HIM A GOOD PLACE TO TAKE BIRTH WHERE HE CAN AGAIN BEGIN IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS ACTIVITIES. That is sure. But, we offer our condolences to a departed soul separated from a Vaisnava. Do you know that there must be prasadam distributed? After three days after the demise of a Vaisnava a function should be held for offering the departed soul and all others prasadam. This is the system.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Note: it seems from this account that the devotees who are in the particular universe with Krsna in pastimes with Him are SHOWN their destination in the Vaikuntha TO CONFIRM that they are going to SPIRITUAL KINGDOM.

Actually, although Kṛṣṇa was acting so wonderfully, Mahārāja Nanda and mother Yaśodā could not think of Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Instead, they always accepted Him as their beloved child. Thus Nanda Mahārāja did not accept the fact that Varuṇa worshiped Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa was the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rather he took it that because Kṛṣṇa was such a wonderful child He was respected even by Varuṇa. THE FRIENDS OF NANDA MAHĀRĀJA, ALL THE COWHERD MEN, BECAME EAGER TO KNOW IF KṚṢṆA WERE ACTUALLY THE SUPREME PERSONALITY AND IF HE WERE GOING TO GIVE THEM ALL SALVATION. WHEN THEY WERE ALL THUS CONSULTING AMONG THEMSELVES, KṚṢṆA UNDERSTOOD THEIR MINDS, AND IN ORDER TO ASSURE THEM OF THEIR DESTINY IN THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM, HE SHOWED THEM THE SPIRITUAL SKY. Generally, ordinary persons are engaged simply in working hard in the material world, and they have no information that there is another kingdom or another sky, which is known as the spiritual sky, where life is eternal, blissful, and full of knowledge. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, a person returning to that spiritual sky never returns to this material world of death and suffering.

Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is always anxious to give information to the conditioned soul that there is a spiritual sky far, far beyond this material sky, transcendental to the innumerable universes created within the total material energy. Kṛṣṇa is, of course, always very kind to every conditioned soul, but, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, He is especially inclined to the devotees. Hearing their inquiries, Kṛṣṇa immediately thought that His devotees in Vṛndāvana should be informed of the spiritual sky and the Vaikuṇṭha planets therein. Within the material world, every conditioned soul is in the darkness of ignorance. This means that all conditioned souls are under the concept of this bodily existence.

Everyone is under the impression that he is of this material world, and with this concept of life, everyone is working in ignorance in different forms of life. The activities of the particular type of body are called karma, or fruitive action. All conditioned souls under the impression of the bodily concept are working according to their particular types of body. These activities are creating their future conditional life. Because they have very little information of the spiritual world, they do not generally take to spiritual activities, which are called bhakti-yoga. Those who successfully practice bhakti-yoga, after giving up this present body, go directly to the spiritual world and become situated in one of the Vaikuṇṭha planets. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana are all pure devotees. Their destination after quitting the body is Kṛṣṇaloka. They even surpass the Vaikuṇṭhalokas. The fact is, those who are always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and mature, pure devotional service are given the chance, after death, to gain Kṛṣṇa’s association in the universes within the material world. Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes are continually going on, either in this universe or in another universe. Just as the sun globe is passing through many places across this earthly planet, so Kṛṣṇa-līlā, or the transcendental advent and pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, are also going on continually, either in this or another universe. The mature devotees, who have completely executed Kṛṣṇa consciousness, are immediately transferred to the universe where Kṛṣṇa is appearing. In that universe the devotees get their first opportunity to associate with Kṛṣṇa personally and directly. The training goes on, as we see in the Vṛndāvana līlā of Kṛṣṇa within this planet. KṚṢṆA THEREFORE REVEALED THE ACTUAL FEATURE OF THE VAIKUṆṬHA PLANETS SO THAT THE INHABITANTS OF VṚNDĀVANA COULD KNOW THEIR DESTINATION.

THUS KṚṢṆA SHOWED THEM THE ETERNAL EVER-EXISTING SPIRITUAL SKY WHICH IS UNLIMITED AND FULL OF KNOWLEDGE. Within this material world there are different gradations of forms, and according to the gradations, knowledge is proportionately manifested. For example, the knowledge in the body of a child is not as perfect as the knowledge in the body of an adult man. Everywhere there are different gradations of living entities, in aquatic animals, in the plants and trees, in the reptiles and insects, in birds and beasts and in the civilized and uncivilized human forms of life. Above the human form of life there are demigods, Cāraṇas and Siddhas on up to Brahmaloka where Lord Brahmā lives, and among these demigods there are always different gradations of knowledge. But past this material world, in the Vaikuṇṭha sky, everyone is in full knowledge. All the living entities there are engaged in devotional service to the Lord, either in the Vaikuṇṭha planets or in Kṛṣṇaloka.

As it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, full knowledge means knowing Kṛṣṇa to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Vedas and Bhagavad-gītā it is also stated that in the brahmajyoti or spiritual sky there is no need of sunlight, moonlight, or electricity. All those planets are self-illuminating, and all of them are eternally situated. There is no question of creation and annihilation in the brahmajyoti, spiritual sky. Bhagavad-gītā also confirms that beyond the material sky there is another eternal spiritual sky where everything is eternally existing. Information of the spiritual sky can be had only from great sages and saintly persons who have already surpassed the influence of the three material modes of nature. Unless one is constantly situated on that transcendental platform, it is not possible to understand the spiritual nature.

Therefore it is recommended that one should take to bhakti-yoga and keep himself engaged twenty-four hours in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which places one beyond the reach of the modes of material nature. One in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can easily understand the nature of the spiritual sky and Vaikuṇṭhaloka. The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, being always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, could therefore very easily understand the transcendental nature of the Vaikuṇṭhalokas.

THUS KṚṢṆA LED ALL THE COWHERD MEN, HEADED BY NANDA MAHĀRĀJA, TO THE LAKE WHERE AKRŪRA WAS LATER SHOWN THE VAIKUṆṬHA PLANETARY SYSTEM. THEY TOOK THEIR BATH IMMEDIATELY AND SAW THE REAL NATURE OF THE VAIKUṆṬHALOKAS. AFTER SEEING THE SPIRITUAL SKY AND THE VAIKUṆṬHALOKAS, ALL THE MEN, HEADED BY NANDA MAHĀRĀJA, FELT WONDERFULLY BLISSFUL, AND COMING OUT OF THE RIVER, THEY SAW KṚṢṆA, WHO WAS BEING WORSHIPED WITH EXCELLENT PRAYERS.

Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Twenty-eighth Chapter of Kṛṣṇa, “Releasing Nanda Mahārāja from the Clutches of Varuṇa.”
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/kb/1/28

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Lord, accompanied by Akrūra and Balarāma, drove the chariot with great speed towards the bank of the Yamunā. Simply by taking a bath in the Yamunā, anyone can diminish the reaction of his sinful activities. BOTH KṚṢṆA AND BALARĀMA TOOK THEIR BATHS IN THE RIVER AND WASHED THEIR FACES. AFTER DRINKING THE TRANSPARENT CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER OF THE YAMUNĀ, THEY TOOK THEIR SEATS AGAIN ON THE CHARIOT. THE CHARIOT WAS STANDING UNDERNEATH THE SHADE OF BIG TREES, AND BOTH BROTHERS SAT DOWN THERE. AKRŪRA THEN TOOK THEIR PERMISSION TO ALSO TAKE BATH IN THE YAMUNĀ. ACCORDING TO VEDIC RITUAL, AFTER TAKING BATH IN THE RIVER, ONE SHOULD STAND AT LEAST HALF SUBMERGED AND MURMUR THE GĀYATRĪ MANTRA. WHILE HE WAS STANDING IN THE RIVER, AKRŪRA SUDDENLY SAW BOTH BALARĀMA AND KṚṢṆA WITHIN THE WATER. HE WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THEM THERE BECAUSE HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THEY WERE SITTING ON THE CHARIOT. CONFUSED, HE IMMEDIATELY CAME OUT OF THE WATER AND WENT TO SEE WHERE THE BOYS WERE, AND HE WAS VERY SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THEY WERE SITTING ON THE CHARIOT AS BEFORE. WHEN HE SAW THEM ON THE CHARIOT, HE BEGAN TO WONDER WHETHER HE SAW THEM IN THE WATER. HE THEREFORE WENT BACK TO THE RIVER. THIS TIME HE SAW NOT ONLY BALARĀMA AND KṚṢṆA THERE, BUT MANY OF THE DEMIGODS AND ALL THE SIDDHAS, CĀRAṆAS, AND GANDHARVAS. THEY WERE ALL STANDING BEFORE THE LORD, WHO WAS LYING DOWN. HE ALSO SAW THE ŚEṢA NĀGA WITH THOUSANDS OF HOODS. LORD ŚEṢA NĀGA WAS COVERED WITH BLUISH GARMENTS, AND HIS NECKS WERE ALL WHITE. THE WHITE NECKS OF ŚEṢA NĀGA APPEARED EXACTLY LIKE SNOWCAPPED MOUNTAINS. ON THE CURVED LAP OF ŚEṢA NĀGA, AKRŪRA SAW KṚṢṆA SITTING VERY SOBERLY, WITH FOUR HANDS. HIS EYES WERE LIKE THE REDDISH PETALS OF THE LOTUS FLOWER.

IN OTHER WORDS, AFTER RETURNING, AKRŪRA SAW BALARĀMA TURNED INTO ŚEṢA NĀGA AND KṚṢṆA TURNED INTO MAHĀ-VIṢṆU. HE SAW THE FOURHANDED SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, SMILING VERY BEAUTIFULLY. HE WAS VERY PLEASING TO ALL AND WAS LOOKING TOWARDS EVERYONE. HE APPEARED BEAUTIFUL WITH HIS RAISED NOSE, BROAD FOREHEAD, SPREAD-UP EARS AND REDDISH LIPS. HIS ARMS, REACHING TO THE KNEES, WERE VERY STRONGLY BUILT. HIS SHOULDERS WERE HIGH, HIS CHEST VERY BROAD AND SHAPED LIKE THE CONCHSHELL. HIS NAVEL WAS VERY DEEP, AND HIS ABDOMEN WAS MARKED WITH THREE LINES. HIS WAIST WAS BROAD AND BIG, RESEMBLING THE HIPS OF A WOMAN, AND HIS THIGHS RESEMBLED THE TRUNKS OF ELEPHANTS. THE OTHER PARTS OF HIS LEGS, THE JOINTS AND LOWER EXTREMITIES, WERE ALL VERY BEAUTIFUL, THE NAILS OF HIS FEET WERE DAZZLING, AND HIS TOES WERE AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE PETALS OF THE LOTUS FLOWER. HIS HELMET WAS DECORATED WITH VERY VALUABLE JEWELS. THERE WAS A NICE BELT AROUND THE WAIST, AND HE WORE A SACRED THREAD ACROSS HIS BROAD CHEST. BANGLES WERE ON HIS HANDS AND ARMLETS ON THE UPPER PORTION OF HIS ARMS. HE WORE BELLS ON HIS ANKLES. HE POSSESSED DAZZLING BEAUTY, AND HIS PALMS WERE LIKE THE LOTUS FLOWER. HE WAS STILL MORE BEAUTIFUL WITH DIFFERENT EMBLEMS OF THE VIṢṆU-MŪRTI, THE CONCHSHELL, CLUB, DISC AND LOTUS FLOWER, WHICH HE HELD IN HIS FOUR HANDS. HIS CHEST WAS MARKED WITH THE PARTICULAR SIGNS OF VIṢṆU, AND HE WORE FRESH FLOWER GARLANDS. ALL IN ALL, HE WAS VERY BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT. AKRŪRA ALSO SAW HIS LORDSHIP SURROUNDED BY INTIMATE ASSOCIATES LIKE THE FOUR KUMĀRAS, SANAKA, SANĀTANA, SANANDA AND SANATKUMĀRA, AND OTHER ASSOCIATES LIKE SUNANDA AND NANDA, AS WELL AS DEMIGODS LIKE BRAHMĀ AND LORD ŚIVA. THE NINE GREAT LEARNED SAGES WERE THERE, AND DEVOTEES LIKE PRAHLĀDA AND NĀRADA WERE ENGAGED IN OFFERING PRAYERS TO THE LORD WITH CLEAN HEARTS AND PURE WORDS. AFTER SEEING THE TRANSCENDENTAL PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD, AKRŪRA IMMEDIATELY BECAME OVERWHELMED WITH GREAT DEVOTION, AND ALL OVER HIS BODY THERE WAS TRANSCENDENTAL SHIVERING. ALTHOUGH FOR THE MOMENT HE WAS BEWILDERED, HE RETAINED HIS CLEAR CONSCIOUSNESS AND BOWED DOWN HIS HEAD BEFORE THE LORD. WITH FOLDED HANDS AND FALTERING VOICE, HE BEGAN TO OFFER PRAYERS TO THE LORD.

Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Thirty-eighth Chapter of Kṛṣṇa, “Akrūra’s Return Journey and His Visiting of Viṣṇuloka Within the Yamunā River.”
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/kb/1/38

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Revatīnandana: I was looking at the Gītā yesterday. There is a verse in the Sixth Chapter where Kṛṣṇa says that “The yogi who knows that I and the Supersoul are one and always worships Me in that way (indistinct) that when the yogi sees Lord Kṛṣṇa as Viṣṇu within the heart, that would appear that that is actually Bhagavān realization because Lord Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa are the same so it would be Bhagavān. So what is the distinction between Paramātmā realization and Bhagavān realization?

Prabhupāda: Bhagavān realization is complete. Paramātmā realization is partial.

Revatīnandana: Partial.

Prabhupāda: Partial.

Revatīnandana: Is that realizing knowledge without realizing it’s coming from God?

Prabhupāda: No, the realization of existence of God everywhere, that is Paramātmā realization.

Revatīnandana: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Revatīnandana: That is called Paramātmā.

Prabhupāda: That is Paramātmā realization. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ‘rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. He is situated in everyone’s heart. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu cayāntara-stham [Bs. 5.35]. He is within the universe and He is also within the atom. That is Paramātmā realization. Everywhere, all-pervading. Akhilātma-bhūto. Goloka eva nivasaty [Bs. 5.37]. Although He is situated in His Goloka Vṛndāvana-dhāma, He is everywhere. That everywhere aspect is Paramātmā. And that Goloka Vṛndāvana-sthiti is Bhagavān.

Devotee: When a person becomes Bhagavān realized, is Supersoul in his heart (indistinct) form?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38].

Devotee: Also I was told by one devotee, a person working for Lord Caitanya, Lord Caitanya will appear as Supersoul to him (indistinct) this happen?

Prabhupāda: Well, Lord Caitanya, Lord Kṛṣṇa, there is no difference. If you see Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya the same, or Viṣṇu. It doesn’t matter. Viṣṇu-tattva.

Revatīnandana: (indistinct) …Paramātmā realized in that way.

Prabhupāda: Yogis, yogis , they realize Paramātmā.

Devotee: And they’re completely satisfied in that way.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yogis, they see Bhagavān as Paramātmā. Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. So all of them are on the platform but realization different. Gradually develop. Brahman realization is also spiritual realization. Paramātmā realization also spiritual realization and Bhagavān realization is also spiritual, but the perfect spiritual realization is Bhagavān realization. It includes Paramātmā and Brahman, everything.

Devotee: In the Bhāgavatam it tells about Bhīṣmadeva,. Bhīṣma? He was worshiping Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa and when Kṛṣṇa came to (indistinct) …Kṛṣṇa appeared in His four-armed form and then…

Prabhupāda: He knew there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and Nārāyaṇa because he was in perfect knowledge. Why Bhīṣma? Everyone of us. You do not know?

Revatīnandana: Bhīṣma was more attracted to four-armed form.

Prabhupāda: That is, that is… Some devotee is worshiper of Viṣṇu, some devotee is worshiper of Kṛṣṇa.

Revatīnandana: Their constitutional nature is that way.

Prabhupāda: That is rasa. He likes this form. Just like Hanumān said that “Although I know Rāma and Kṛṣṇa are the same, still, I want to see Rāma.” We also. Although we know Rāma and Kṛṣṇa the same but we want to see Kṛṣṇa.

Devotee: Tulasi dāsa said that he wanted to see Rāma.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is devotee’s inclination. That we must have. Just like the gopīs were searching Kṛṣṇa and they saw that Kṛṣṇa sitting in one place as four-handed Nārāyaṇa. They offered respect, “Oh, He is Nārāyaṇa. We don’t care for Him.” (laughter) “We don’t care for Him.” But they offered respect, “Oh, Nārāyaṇa, namaskara. But we want Kṛṣṇa.” And when Rādhārāṇī came, Kṛṣṇa wanted to remain Nārāyaṇa, He could not. Rādhārāṇī’s desire is so strong that Kṛṣṇa could not remain as Nārāyaṇa. He became Kṛṣṇa. You see? So somebody is offering us a little piece of land. Sak… Saket.(?)

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/sb/6/1/14/bombay/november/10/1970

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

AND YOUR QUESTION ABOUT BHISMA DEVA, AFTER HE LEFT THIS PLANET, HE WENT TO VAIKUNTHA. BECAUSE HE WAS NARAYANA WORSHIPPER. IN BHISMA’S PRAYER, IT IS CLEAR THAT HE IS WORSHIPPER OF FOUR HANDED NARAYANA. ALTHOUGH HE KNEW THAT NARAYANA AND KRISHNA ARE NON-DIFFERENT, BUT HIS AFFECTION WAS FOR NARAYANA. THEREFORE HE ENTERED THE NARAYANA LOKA.

Those who are devotees of Narayana or Krishna, they are not afraid of any planet, even they are sent in the heavenly planets or the hellish planets, because they have Narayana within their heart, they are equally situated.

Hope you are well,

Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/letters/los_angeles/november/13/1968/tosana_krsna

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Room Conversation
—
July 19, 1973, London

Prabhupada: Tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah. Pasyanti, this word is there. Yoginah pasyanti they see. Dhyanavasthita, by meditation.
Revatinandana: This is the Sixth Chapter Bhagavad-gita? Is that what you’re quoting?
Prabhupada: No, this is in Bhagavata.
Revatinandana: I see. But that seeing…
Prabhupada: That seeing is not ananda. Seeing is ananda, undoubtedly, but seeing and talking and becoming friend, that is higher. Friend or conjugal lover, father, mother. That kind of seeing is different.
Revatinandana: If that yogi quits his body in that condition, does he attain a Vaikuntha planet?
Prabhupada: Yes.
Revatinandana: (break) Is it possible that if he was… This is a question that sometimes a devotee has asked me. If a yogi does attain a Vaikuntha planet, but by his constitutional nature he is meant to be associated with Krsna in Goloka…
Prabhupada: No, why not with Visnu. Vaikuntha is Visnu, Narayana. That is also… But there Narayana is worshiped with awe and veneration. He is God. No friendship as in Vrndavana. That is not possible. Vipralambha-sakhya. Aisvarya, aisvarya, opulence. There the Supreme Lord is taken in aisvarya, opulences. Not aisvarya-sthiti. In Vrndavana the devotees, they practically do not know that Krsna is God. “He is our very beloved friend.” That’s all. They doesn’t care to know whether He is God or not. Here the conception of God. Vaikuntha, “Oh, here is God,” with awe and veneration, respect.
Revatinandana: That I understand. The question is suppose this yogi, he has not got full knowledge, he does not know of Krsna, and therefore he is meditating on Paramatma, and he attains Vaikuntha. Is it possible that because he hadn’t got full knowledge…
Prabhupada: NO, HE HAS TO GO, SIMPLY BY PARAMATMA CONCEPTION, HE CANNOT GO TO VAIKUNTHA.
Revatinandana: CAN HE LATER GO ON FROM VAIKUNTHA TO GOLOKA? CAN THAT HAPPEN ALSO?
Prabhupada: YES, THERE IS SUCH INSTANCES, CAN GO.
Revatinandana: But if a devotee knows Krsna, if he knows of Krsna, then wherever he is destined, he will go perfectly to his perfect position. Just like Bhisma knew Krsna…
Prabhupada: Mad-yajino yanti mam. Krsna devotees, they go directly, especially those who are worshiping Krsna through Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They directly go to Krsnaloka.
Revatinandana: What about like the case of Bhismadeva where he knew about Krsna in Goloka, and he went to Krsna as Partha-sarathi.
Prabhupada: No, Krsna… He understood Krsna as Narayana. He will go to Vaikuntha, Bhismadeva.
Revatinandana: But he had full knowledge of everything as a mahajana. He knew also…
Prabhupada: But he loved Narayana, Catur-bhuja.
Revatinandana: Yes, that was his constitutional position. That’s all right.
Prabhupada: Just like sometimes madhurya-rasa is the greatest humor…
Revatinandana: Who?
Prabhupada: Madhurya-rasa, conjugal love. But still, there are devotees who prefer parental love, friendly love. That is liking. Everyone has got his own liking. But they are all the same, all the same. There is no difference between Krsna devotee and Narayana devotee. They are all the… But it is their liking, varieties of liking.
Revatinandana: Another related question that also arose… These come in Bhagavata class with the devotees because they think about the questions and sometimes they come up with nice ones. When Krsna is incarnating in His plenary incarnations like Varaha, Nrsimha, like that…
Prabhupada: That is in this material world.
Revatinandana: Yes. And sometimes devotees become devoted to those forms. ARE THERE CORRESPONDING PLANETS IN VAIKUNTHA FOR THOSE FORMS OF INCARNATION? IS THERE A PLANET OF NRSIMHA OR NRSIMHA-LOKA IN THE VAIKUNTHA SPHERE?
Prabhupada: SO FAR (I) KNOW, THOSE PLANETS ARE HERE WITHIN THIS MATERIAL WORLD.
Revatinandana: Wherever He is appearing.
Prabhupada: Hm. EVEN RAMACANDRA’S. SO FAR I HAVE…
Revatinandana: On all the Vaikunthas, Krsna is in His catur-bhuja, four-armed form?
Prabhupada: Hm.
Revatinandana: BUT THOSE DEVOTEES WILL EVENTUALLY GO THERE. THOSE KIND OF DEVOTEES LIKE DEVOTEES OF SITA-RAMA, THEY WILL ALSO ATTAIN THE SPIRITUAL SKY IN THEIR VARIOUS POSITIONS.
Prabhupada: YES, YES.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Letter to: Saradia
—
Los Angeles
12 December, 1968
68-12-12
You have asked how Krishna is with the spirit soul in the spiritual world and the answer is that Krishna is the heart of the spirit soul, or spiritual body, So Krishna is never apart from us. Either He remains in the heart of the material body, or He remains in the heart of the spiritual body. This is Krishna’s Causeless Mercy to all of His beloved children, or living entities.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

https://vanisource.org/wiki/000000_-_Letter_to_Various_written_from_Unknown_Place

Letter No. 1 to Aksayananda Maharaja

Regarding your questions, in the spiritual sky everything is spiritual, so Krsna has no need for living in the heart. They are seeing Krsna face to face always, so what is the use of being in the heart? Outside, inside they are always the same, even their heart that is also sat-cit-ananda. There is no mechanical arrangement like this material body for anyone in the spiritual, what to speak of Krsna.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Note: the KEY FACTOR for being promoted to KRSNA-LOKA : HEARING KRSNA-KIRTANA: “BUT AS YOU WERE HEARING KRSNA-KIRTANA, I AM SURE THAT YOU WERE DIRECTLY PROMOTED TO KRSNA-LOKA”.

Letter to: Jayananda
—
Bombay
5 May, 1977

77-05-05

My Dear Jayananda,

Please accept my blessings.

I am feeling very intensely your separation. In 1967 you joined me in San Francisco. You were driving my car and chanting Hare Krsna. You were the first man to give me some contribution ($5000) for printing my Bhagavad-gita. After that, you have rendered very favorable service to Krsna in different ways. I so hope at the time of your death you were remembering Krsna and as such, you have been promoted to the eternal association of Krsna. If not, if you had any tinge of material desire, you have gone to the celestial kingdom to live with the demigods for many thousands of years and enjoy the most opulent life of material existence. From there you can promote yourself to the spiritual world. But even if one fails to promote himself to the spiritual world, at that time he comes down again on the surface of this globe and takes birth in a big family like a yogis’ or a brahmanas’ or an aristocratic family, where there is again chance of reviving Krsna Consciousness. BUT AS YOU WERE HEARING KRSNA-KIRTANA, I AM SURE THAT YOU WERE DIRECTLY PROMOTED TO KRSNA-LOKA.

janma karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti man eti so’ rjuna
[Bg. 4.9]

Krsna has done a great favor to you, not to continue your diseased body, and has given you a suitable place for your service. Thank you very much.

Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

ACBS/tkg
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/letters/bombay/may/05/1977/jayananda

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jayananda’s death is glorious. It is very good that he had stated, what is the use of such a useless body, better to give it up. HE HAS LEFT HIS BODY VERY WONDERFULLY, AND HE HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO VAIKUNTHA. I have already sent a condolence letter for publication in Back To Godhead. Everyone should follow the example of Jayananda. I am very proud that I had such a nice disciple. If possible Jayananda’s picture should be hung in the ratha of Lord Jagannatha, and in all of our temples a day may be set aside for holding a festival in his honor, just as we do on the disappearance day of the other great Vaisnavas.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/letters/new_delhi/may/11/1977/ramesvara

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

PURPORT

The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9):

janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ’rjuna

“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” Here this is confirmed. All the inhabitants of Ayodhyā who saw Lord Rāmacandra as citizens, served Him as servants, sat and talked with Him as friends or were somehow or other present during His reign went back home, back to Godhead. AFTER GIVING UP THE BODY, THE DEVOTEE WHO BECOMES PERFECT IN DEVOTIONAL SERVICE ENTERS THAT PARTICULAR UNIVERSE WHERE LORD RĀMACANDRA OR LORD KṚṢṆA IS ENGAGED IN HIS PASTIMES. THEN, AFTER BEING TRAINED TO SERVE THE LORD IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES IN THAT PRAKAṬA-LĪLĀ, THE DEVOTEE IS FINALLY PROMOTED TO SANĀTANA-DHĀMA, THE SUPREME ABODE IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD. This sanātana-dhāma is also mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā (paras tasmāt tu bhāvo ’nyo’vyakto’vyaktāt sanātanaḥ [Bg. 8.20]). One who enters the transcendental pastimes of the Lord is called nitya-līlā-praviṣṭa. To understand clearly why Lord Rāmacandra returned, it is mentioned herewith that the Lord went to that particular place where the bhakti-yogīs go. The impersonalists misunderstand the statements of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to mean that the Lord entered His own effulgence and therefore become impersonal. But the Lord is a person, and His devotees are persons. Indeed, the living entities, like the Lord, were persons in the past, they are persons in the present, and they will continue to be persons even after giving up the body. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/9/11/22

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

TEXT 23

vasudeva-gṛhe sākṣād

bhagavān puruṣaḥ paraḥ

janiṣyate tat-priyārthaṁ

sambhavantu sura-striyaḥ

SYNONYMS

vasudeva-gṛhe—in the house of Vasudeva (who would be the father of Kṛṣṇa when the Lord appeared); sākṣāt—personally; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has full potency; puruṣaḥ—the original person; paraḥ—who is transcendental; janiṣyate—will appear; tat-priya-artham—and for His satisfaction; sambhavantu—should take birth; sura-striyaḥ—all the wives of the demigods.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who has full potency, will personally appear as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore all the wives of the demigods should also appear in order to satisfy Him.

PURPORT

IN BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ (4.9) THE LORD SAYS, TYAKTVĀ DEHAṀ PUNAR JANMA NAITI MĀM ETI: [BG. 4.9] AFTER GIVING UP THE MATERIAL BODY, THE DEVOTEE OF THE LORD RETURNS HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD. THIS MEANS THAT THE DEVOTEE IS FIRST TRANSFERRED TO THE PARTICULAR UNIVERSE WHERE THE LORD IS AT THAT TIME STAYING TO EXHIBIT HIS PASTIMES. THERE ARE INNUMERABLE UNIVERSES, AND THE LORD IS APPEARING IN ONE OF THESE UNIVERSES AT EVERY MOMENT. THEREFORE HIS PASTIMES ARE CALLED NITYA-LĪLĀ, ETERNAL PASTIMES. THE LORD’S APPEARANCE AS A CHILD IN THE HOUSE OF DEVAKĪ TAKES PLACE CONTINUOUSLY IN ONE UNIVERSE AFTER ANOTHER. THEREFORE, THE DEVOTEE IS FIRST TRANSFERRED TO THAT PARTICULAR UNIVERSE WHERE THE PASTIMES OF THE LORD ARE CURRENT. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, EVEN IF a devotee does NOT COMPLETE the course of devotional service, he enjoys the happiness of the heavenly planets, where the most pious people dwell, and then takes birth in the house of a śuci or śrīmān, a pious brāhmaṇa or a wealthy vaiśya (śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo ’bhijāyate). Thus a pure devotee, even if unable to execute devotional service completely, is transferred to the upper planetary system, where pious people reside. FROM THERE, IF HIS DEVOTIONAL SERVICE IS COMPLETE, SUCH A DEVOTEE IS TRANSFERRED TO THE PLACE WHERE THE LORD’S PASTIMES ARE GOING ON. Herein it is said, sambhavantu sura-striyaḥ. Sura-strī, the women of the heavenly planets, were thus ordered to appear in the Yadu dynasty in Vṛndāvana to enrich the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. These sura-strī, when further trained to live with Kṛṣṇa, would be transferred to the original Goloka Vṛndāvana. During Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes within this world, the sura-strī were to appear in different ways in different families to give pleasure to the Lord, just so that they would be fully trained before going to the eternal Goloka Vṛndāvana. With the association of Lord Kṛṣṇa, either at Dvārakā-purī, Mathurā-purī or Vṛndāvana, they would certainly return home, back to Godhead. Among the sura-strī, the women of the heavenly planets, there are many devotees, such as the mother of the Upendra incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. It was such devoted women who were called for in this connection.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/10/1/23

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

TEXTS 62–63

nandādyā ye vraje gopā

yāś cāmīṣāṁ ca yoṣitaḥ

vṛṣṇayo vasudevādyā

devaky-ādyā yadu-striyaḥ

sarve vai devatā-prāyā

ubhayor api bhārata

jñātayo bandhu-suhṛdo

ye ca kaṁsam anuvratāḥ

SYNONYMS

nanda-ādyāḥ—beginning from Nanda Mahārāja; ye—all of which persons; vraje—in Vṛndāvana; gopāḥ—the cowherd men; yāḥ—which; ca—and; amīṣām—of all those (inhabitants of Vṛndāvana); ca—as well as; yoṣitaḥ—the women; vṛṣṇayaḥ—members of the Vṛṣṇi family; vasudeva-ādyāḥ—headed by Vasudeva; devakī-ādyāḥ—headed by Devakī; yadu-striyaḥ—all the women of the Yadu dynasty; sarve—all of them; vai—indeed; devatā-prāyāḥ—were inhabitants of heaven; ubhayoḥ—of both Nanda Mahārāja and Vasudeva; api—indeed; bhārata—O Mahārāja Parīkṣit; jñātayaḥ—the relatives; bandhu—friends; suhṛdaḥ—well-wishers; ye—all of whom; ca—and; kaṁsam anuvratāḥ—even though apparently followers of Kaṁsa.

TRANSLATION

The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, headed by Nanda Mahārāja and including his associate cowherd men and their wives, were none but denizens of the heavenly planets, O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, best of the descendants of Bharata, and so too were the descendants of the Vṛṣṇi dynasty, headed by Vasudeva, and Devakī and the other women of the dynasty of Yadu. The friends, relatives and well-wishers of both Nanda Mahārāja and Vasudeva and even those who externally appeared to be followers of Kaṁsa were all demigods.

PURPORT

As previously discussed, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, informed Lord Brahmā that Lord Kṛṣṇa would personally descend to mitigate the suffering on the earth. The Lord ordered all the denizens of the heavenly planets to take birth in different families of the Yadu and Vṛṣṇi dynasties and in Vṛndāvana. NOW THIS VERSE INFORMS US THAT ALL THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THE YADU DYNASTY, THE VṚṢṆI DYNASTY, NANDA MAHĀRĀJA AND THE GOPAS DESCENDED FROM THE HEAVENLY PLANETS TO SEE THE PASTIMES OF THE LORD. AS CONFIRMED IN BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ (4.8), THE LORD’S PASTIMES CONSIST OF PARITRĀṆĀYA SĀDHŪNĀṀ VINĀŚĀYA CA DUṢKṚTĀM—SAVING THE DEVOTEES AND KILLING THE DEMONS. TO DEMONSTRATE THESE ACTIVITIES, THE LORD CALLED FOR DEVOTEES FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE UNIVERSE.

THERE ARE MANY DEVOTEES WHO ARE ELEVATED TO THE HIGHER PLANETARY SYSTEMS.

prāpya puṇya-kṛtāṁ lokān
uṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ
śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe
yoga-bhraṣṭo ’bhijāyate

“THE UNSUCCESSFUL YOGĪ, AFTER MANY, MANY YEARS OF ENJOYMENT ON THE PLANETS OF THE PIOUS LIVING ENTITIES, IS BORN INTO A FAMILY OF RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE, OR INTO A FAMILY OF RICH ARISTOCRACY.” (BG. 6.41) SOME DEVOTEES, HAVING FAILED TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE, ARE PROMOTED TO THE HEAVENLY PLANETS, TO WHICH THE PIOUS ARE ELEVATED, AND AFTER ENJOYING THERE THEY MAY BE DIRECTLY PROMOTED TO THE PLACE WHERE THE LORD’S PASTIMES ARE GOING ON. WHEN LORD KṚṢṆA WAS TO APPEAR, THE DENIZENS OF THE HEAVENLY PLANETS WERE INVITED TO SEE THE PASTIMES OF THE LORD, AND THUS IT IS STATED HERE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE YADU AND VṚṢṆI DYNASTIES AND THE INHABITANTS OF VṚNDĀVANA WERE DEMIGODS OR ALMOST AS GOOD AS DEMIGODS. EVEN THOSE WHO EXTERNALLY HELPED THE ACTIVITIES OF KAṀSA BELONGED TO THE HIGHER PLANETARY SYSTEMS. The imprisonment and release of Vasudeva and the killing of various demons were all manifestations of the pastimes of the Lord, and because the devotees would be pleased to see these activities personally, they were all invited to take birth as friends and relatives of these families. As confirmed in the prayers of Kuntī (Bhāg. 1.8.19), nato nāṭya-dharo yathā. The Lord was to play the part of a demon-killer, and a friend, son and brother to His devotees, and thus these devotees were all summoned.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/10/1/62-63

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

TEXT 397

ataeva goloka-sthāne nitya vihāra

brahmāṇḍa-gaṇe krame prākaṭya tāhāra

SYNONYMS

ataeva—therefore; goloka-sthāne—in the original Goloka Vṛndāvana planet; nitya vihāra—eternal pastimes; brahmāṇḍa-gaṇe—within the material universes; krame—gradually; prākaṭya—manifestation; tāhāra—of them.

TRANSLATION

“The eternal pastimes of Kṛṣṇa are continuously taking place in the original Goloka Vṛndāvana planet. These same pastimes are gradually manifest within the material world, in each and every brahmāṇḍa.

PURPORT

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura elucidates this complicated explanation of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. KṚṢṆA’S PASTIMES ARE ALWAYS PRESENT IN THE MATERIAL WORLD IN ONE OF THE MANY UNIVERSES. THESE PASTIMES APPEAR IN THE UNIVERSES ONE AFTER THE OTHER, JUST AS THE SUN MOVES ACROSS THE SKY AND MEASURES THE TIME. KṚṢṆA’S APPEARANCE MAY BE MANIFEST IN THIS UNIVERSE AT ONE MOMENT, AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS BIRTH, THIS PASTIME IS MANIFEST IN THE NEXT UNIVERSE. AFTER HIS KILLING OF PŪTANĀ IS MANIFEST IN THIS UNIVERSE, IT IS NEXT MANIFEST IN ANOTHER UNIVERSE. THUS ALL THE PASTIMES OF KṚṢṆA ARE ETERNALLY EXISTING BOTH IN THE ORIGINAL GOLOKA VṚNDĀVANA PLANET AND IN THE MATERIAL UNIVERSES. The 125 years calculated in our solar system to be Kṛṣṇa’s lifetime equal one moment for Kṛṣṇa. One moment these pastimes are manifest in one universe, and the next moment they are manifest in the next universe. There are unlimited universes, and Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes are manifest one moment after the other in all of them. This rotation is explained through the example of the sun’s moving across the sky. Kṛṣṇa appears and disappears in innumerable universes, just as the sun appears and disappears during the day. Although the sun appears to rise and set, it is continuously shining somewhere on the earth. Although Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes seem to appear and disappear, they are continuously existing in one brahmāṇḍa (universe) or another. Thus all of Kṛṣṇa’s līlās are present simultaneously throughout the innumerable universes. By our limited senses we cannot appreciate this; therefore Kṛṣṇa’s eternal pastimes are very difficult for us to understand. One should try to understand how they are taking place by understanding the allegory of the sun. Although the Lord is appearing constantly in the material universes, His pastimes are eternally present in the original Goloka Vṛndāvana. Therefore these pastimes are called nitya-līlā (eternally present pastimes). Because we cannot see what is going on in other universes, it is a little difficult for us to understand how Kṛṣṇa is eternally manifesting His pastimes. There are fourteen Manus in one day of Brahmā, and this time calculation is also taking place in other universes. Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes are manifest before fourteen Manus expire. Although it is a little difficult to understand the eternal pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in this way, we must accept the verdict of Vedic literatures.

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF DEVOTEES-THE SĀDHAKA, WHO IS PREPARING FOR PERFECTION, AND THE SIDDHA, WHO IS ALREADY PERFECT. AS FAR AS THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY PERFECT ARE CONCERNED, BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ SAYS, TYAKTVĀ DEHAṀ PUNAR JANMA NAITI MĀM ETI SO ‘RJUNA: “AFTER GIVING UP THIS MATERIAL BODY, SUCH A DEVOTEE COMES TO ME.” AFTER LEAVING THE MATERIAL BODY, THE PERFECT DEVOTEE TAKES BIRTH IN THE WOMB OF A GOPĪ ON A PLANET WHERE KṚṢṆA’S PASTIMES ARE GOING ON. THIS MAY BE IN THIS UNIVERSE OR ANOTHER UNIVERSE. This statement is found in the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi, which is commented upon by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. WHEN A DEVOTEE BECOMES PERFECT, HE IS TRANSFERRED TO THE UNIVERSE WHERE KṚṢṆA’S PASTIMES ARE TAKING PLACE. KṚṢṆA’S ETERNAL ASSOCIATES GO WHEREVER KṚṢṆA MANIFESTS HIS PASTIMES. AS STATED BEFORE, FIRST THE FATHER AND MOTHER OF KṚṢṆA APPEAR, THEN THE OTHER ASSOCIATES. QUITTING HIS MATERIAL BODY, THE PERFECT DEVOTEE ALSO GOES TO ASSOCIATE WITH KṚṢṆA AND HIS OTHER ASSOCIATES.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/20/397

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Everyone is under the impression that he is of this material world, and with this concept of life, everyone is working in ignorance in different forms of life. The activities of the particular type of body are called karma, or fruitive action. All conditioned souls under the impression of the bodily concept are working according to their particular types of body. These activities are creating their future conditional life. Because they have very little information of the spiritual world, they do not generally take to spiritual activities, which are called bhakti-yoga. THOSE WHO SUCCESSFULLY PRACTICE BHAKTI-YOGA, AFTER GIVING UP THIS PRESENT BODY, GO DIRECTLY TO THE SPIRITUAL WORLD AND BECOME SITUATED IN ONE OF THE VAIKUṆṬHA PLANETS. THE INHABITANTS OF VṚNDĀVANA ARE ALL PURE DEVOTEES. THEIR DESTINATION AFTER QUITTING THE BODY IS KṚṢṆALOKA. THEY EVEN SURPASS THE VAIKUṆṬHALOKAS. THE FACT IS, THOSE WHO ARE ALWAYS ENGAGED IN KṚṢṆA CONSCIOUSNESS AND MATURE, PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE ARE GIVEN THE CHANCE, AFTER DEATH, TO GAIN KṚṢṆA’S ASSOCIATION IN THE UNIVERSES WITHIN THE MATERIAL WORLD. KṚṢṆA’S PASTIMES ARE CONTINUALLY GOING ON, EITHER IN THIS UNIVERSE OR IN ANOTHER UNIVERSE. JUST AS THE SUN GLOBE IS PASSING THROUGH MANY PLACES ACROSS THIS EARTHLY PLANET, SO KṚṢṆA-LĪLĀ, OR THE TRANSCENDENTAL ADVENT AND PASTIMES OF KṚṢṆA, ARE ALSO GOING ON CONTINUALLY, EITHER IN THIS OR ANOTHER UNIVERSE. THE MATURE DEVOTEES, WHO HAVE COMPLETELY EXECUTED KṚṢṆA CONSCIOUSNESS, ARE IMMEDIATELY TRANSFERRED TO THE UNIVERSE WHERE KṚṢṆA IS APPEARING. IN THAT UNIVERSE THE DEVOTEES GET THEIR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO ASSOCIATE WITH KṚṢṆA PERSONALLY AND DIRECTLY. THE TRAINING GOES ON, AS WE SEE IN THE VṚNDĀVANA LĪLĀ OF KṚṢṆA WITHIN THIS PLANET. KṚṢṆA THEREFORE REVEALED THE ACTUAL FEATURE OF THE VAIKUṆṬHA PLANETS SO THAT THE INHABITANTS OF VṚNDĀVANA COULD KNOW THEIR DESTINATION.

THUS KṚṢṆA SHOWED THEM THE ETERNAL EVER-EXISTING SPIRITUAL SKY WHICH IS UNLIMITED AND FULL OF KNOWLEDGE. Within this material world there are different gradations of forms, and according to the gradations, knowledge is proportionately manifested. For example, the knowledge in the body of a child is not as perfect as the knowledge in the body of an adult man. Everywhere there are different gradations of living entities, in aquatic animals, in the plants and trees, in the reptiles and insects, in birds and beasts and in the civilized and uncivilized human forms of life. Above the human form of life there are demigods, Cāraṇas and Siddhas on up to Brahmaloka where Lord Brahmā lives, and among these demigods there are always different gradations of knowledge. But past this material world, in the Vaikuṇṭha sky, everyone is in full knowledge. All the living entities there are engaged in devotional service to the Lord, either in the Vaikuṇṭha planets or in Kṛṣṇaloka.

As it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, full knowledge means knowing Kṛṣṇa to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Vedas and Bhagavad-gītā it is also stated that in the brahmajyoti or spiritual sky there is no need of sunlight, moonlight, or electricity. All those planets are self-illuminating, and all of them are eternally situated. There is no question of creation and annihilation in the brahmajyoti, spiritual sky. Bhagavad-gītā also confirms that beyond the material sky there is another eternal spiritual sky where everything is eternally existing. Information of the spiritual sky can be had only from great sages and saintly persons who have already surpassed the influence of the three material modes of nature. UNLESS ONE IS CONSTANTLY SITUATED ON THAT TRANSCENDENTAL PLATFORM, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND THE SPIRITUAL NATURE.

THEREFORE IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT ONE SHOULD TAKE TO BHAKTI-YOGA AND KEEP HIMSELF ENGAGED TWENTY-FOUR HOURS IN KṚṢṆA CONSCIOUSNESS, WHICH PLACES ONE BEYOND THE REACH OF THE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE. ONE IN KṚṢṆA CONSCIOUSNESS CAN EASILY UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE SPIRITUAL SKY AND VAIKUṆṬHALOKA. THE INHABITANTS OF VṚNDĀVANA, BEING ALWAYS ENGAGED IN KṚṢṆA CONSCIOUSNESS, COULD THEREFORE VERY EASILY UNDERSTAND THE TRANSCENDENTAL NATURE OF THE VAIKUṆṬHALOKAS.

THUS KṚṢṆA LED ALL THE COWHERD MEN, HEADED BY NANDA MAHĀRĀJA, TO THE LAKE WHERE AKRŪRA WAS LATER SHOWN THE VAIKUṆṬHA PLANETARY SYSTEM. THEY TOOK THEIR BATH IMMEDIATELY AND SAW THE REAL NATURE OF THE VAIKUṆṬHALOKAS. AFTER SEEING THE SPIRITUAL SKY AND THE VAIKUṆṬHALOKAS, ALL THE MEN, HEADED BY NANDA MAHĀRĀJA, FELT WONDERFULLY BLISSFUL, AND COMING OUT OF THE RIVER, THEY SAW KṚṢṆA, WHO WAS BEING WORSHIPED WITH EXCELLENT PRAYERS.

Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Twenty-eighth Chapter of Kṛṣṇa, “Releasing Nanda Mahārāja from the Clutches of Varuṇa.”
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/kb/1/28

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

TEXT 39

vijaya-ratha-kuṭumba ātta-totre

dhṛta-haya-raśmini tac-chriyekṣaṇīye

bhagavati ratir astu me mumūrṣor

yam iha nirīkṣya hatā gatāḥ sva-rūpam

SYNONYMS

vijaya—Arjuna; ratha—chariot; kuṭumbe—the object of protection at all risk; ātta-totre—with a whip in the right hand; dhṛta-haya—controlling the horses; raśmini—ropes; tat-śriyā—beautifully standing; īkṣaṇīye—to look at; bhagavati—unto the Personality of Godhead; ratiḥ astu—let my attraction be; me—my; mumūrṣoḥ—one who is about to die; yam—upon whom; iha—in this world; nirīkṣya—by looking; hatāḥ—those who died; gatāḥ—attained; sva-rūpam—original form.

TRANSLATION

At the moment of death, let my ultimate attraction be to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. I concentrate my mind upon the chariot driver of Arjuna who stood with a whip in His right hand and a bridle rope in His left, who was very careful to give protection to Arjuna’s chariot by all means. Those who saw Him on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra attained their original forms after death.

PURPORT

A PURE DEVOTEE OF THE LORD CONSTANTLY SEES THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD WITHIN HIMSELF BECAUSE OF BEING TRANSCENDENTALLY RELATED BY LOVING SERVICE. SUCH A PURE DEVOTEE CANNOT FORGET THE LORD FOR A MOMENT. THIS IS CALLED TRANCE. The mystic (yogī) tries to concentrate upon the Supersoul by controlling the senses from all other engagements, and thus he ultimately attains samādhi. A devotee more easily attains samādhi, or trance, by constantly remembering the Lord’s personal feature along with His holy name, fame, pastimes, etc. Therefore, the concentration of the mystic yogī and that of the devotee are not on the same level. The concentration of the mystic is mechanical, whereas that of the pure devotee is natural in pure love and spontaneous affection. Bhīṣmadeva was a pure devotee, and as a military marshal he constantly remembered the battlefield feature of the Lord as Pārtha-sārathi, the chariot driver of Arjuna. Therefore, the Lord’s pastime as Pārtha-sārathi is also eternal. The pastimes of the Lord, beginning from His birth at the prison house of Kaṁsa up to the mausala-līlā at the end, all move one after another in all the universes, just as the clock hand moves from one point to another. And in such pastimes His associates like the Pāṇḍavas and Bhīṣma are constant eternal companions. So Bhīṣmadeva never forgot the beautiful feature of the Lord as Pārtha-sārathi, which even Arjuna could not see. Arjuna was behind the beautiful Pārtha-sārathi while Bhīṣmadeva was just in front of the Lord. As far as the military feature of the Lord is concerned, Bhīṣmadeva observed this with more relish than Arjuna.

All the soldiers and persons on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra attained their original spiritual form like the Lord after their death because by the causeless mercy of the Lord they were able to see Him face to face on that occasion. The conditioned souls rotating in the evolutionary cycle from the aquatics up to the form of Brahmā are all in the form of māyā, or the form obtained by one’s own actions and awarded by material nature. The material forms of the conditioned souls are all foreign dresses, and when the conditioned soul becomes liberated from the clutches of material energy, he attains his original form. The impersonalist wants to attain the impersonal Brahman effulgence of the Lord, but that is not at all congenial to the living sparks, parts and parcels of the Lord. Therefore, the impersonalists again fall down and get material forms, which are all false to the spirit soul. A SPIRITUAL FORM LIKE THE LORD’S, EITHER TWO-HANDED OR FOUR-HANDED, IS ATTAINED BY THE DEVOTEES OF THE LORD EITHER IN THE VAIKUṆṬHAS OR IN THE GOLOKA PLANET, ACCORDING TO THE ORIGINAL NATURE OF THE SOUL. THIS FORM, WHICH IS CENT PERCENT SPIRITUAL, IS THE SVARŪPA OF THE LIVING BEING, AND ALL THE LIVING BEINGS WHO PARTICIPATED ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF KURUKṢETRA, ON BOTH SIDES, ATTAINED THEIR SVARŪPA, AS CONFIRMED BY BHĪṢMADEVA. SO LORD ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA WAS NOT MERCIFUL ONLY TO THE PĀṆḌAVAS; HE WAS ALSO MERCIFUL TO THE OTHER PARTIES BECAUSE ALL OF THEM ATTAINED THE SAME RESULT. BHĪṢMADEVA WANTED THE SAME FACILITY ALSO, AND THAT WAS HIS PRAYER TO THE LORD, ALTHOUGH HIS POSITION AS AN ASSOCIATE OF THE LORD IS ASSURED IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE CONCLUSION IS THAT WHOEVER DIES LOOKING ON THE PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD WITHIN OR WITHOUT ATTAINS HIS SVARŪPA, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST PERFECTION OF LIFE.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/1/9/39

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

THE PURPORT IN PRESENTING THIS VERSE NECESSITATES EXPLAINING THE COMPARATIVE POSITIONS OF THE TRANSCENDENTAL MELLOWS KNOWN AS ŚĀNTA, DĀSYA, SAKHYA, VĀTSALYA AND MĀDHURYA. ALL THESE RASAS, OR MELLOWS, ARE SITUATED ON THE TRANSCENDENTAL PLATFORM. PURE DEVOTEES TAKE SHELTER OF ONE OF THEM AND THUS PROGRESS IN SPIRITUAL LIFE. ACTUALLY ONE CAN TAKE SHELTER OF SUCH SPIRITUAL MELLOWS ONLY WHEN ONE IS COMPLETELY UNCONTAMINATED BY MATERIAL ATTACHMENT. WHEN ONE IS COMPLETELY FREE FROM MATERIAL ATTACHMENT, THE FEELINGS OF THE TRANSCENDENTAL MELLOWS ARE AWAKENED IN THE HEART OF THE DEVOTEE. THAT IS SVARŪPA-SIDDHI, THE PERFECTION OF ONE’S ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SUPREME LORD. SVARŪPA-SIDDHI, THE ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SUPREME LORD, MAY BE SITUATED IN ONE OF THE TRANSCENDENTAL MELLOWS. Each and every one of them is as perfect as the others. But by comparative study an unbiased person can realize that the mellow of servitorship is better than the mellow of neutrality. The mellow of fraternity is better than the mellow of servitorship. Similarly, the parental mellow is better than that of fraternity. Above all these mellows is the mellow of conjugal love. However, these are all spiritually situated on the same platform because all these relationships of perfection in love are based on a central point-Kṛṣṇa.

These mellows cannot be compared to the feelings one derives from demigod worship. Kṛṣṇa is one, but the demigods are different. They are material. Love for Kṛṣṇa cannot be compared to material love for different demigods. Because Māyāvādīs are on the material platform, they recommend the worship of Śiva or Durgā and say that worship of Kālī and Kṛṣṇa are the same. However, on the spiritual platform there is no demigod worship. The only worshipable object is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore although there is no difference between a devotee in śānta-rasa or dāsya-rasa, vātsalya-rasa or mādhurya-rasa, one can still make a comparative study of the intensity of love in these different transcendental positions. For example, it may be said that dāsya-rasa is better than śānta-rasa, yet transcendental love of God is there in both of them. Similarly, we can judge that love of Godhead in fraternity is better than love of Godhead in neutrality and servitorship. Similarly, love of Godhead in paternal affection is better than love in fraternity. And, as stated before, love of God in the conjugal rasa is superior to that in the paternal rasa.

The analysis of different types of love of Godhead has been made by expert ācāryas who know all about devotional service on the transcendental platform. Unfortunately, inexperienced and unauthorized persons in the mundane world, not understanding the transcendental position of pure love, try to find some material fault in the transcendental process. This is simply impudence on the part of spiritually inexperienced people. Such faultfinding is symptomatic of unfortunate mundane wranglers.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/madhya/8/83

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The word vimuktidāt is also significant. THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIBERATION, SUCH AS SĀYUJYA, SĀLOKYA, SĀRŪPYA, SĀRṢṬI AND SĀMĪPYA, BUT VIMUKTI MEANS “SPECIAL MUKTI.” WHEN AFTER LIBERATION ONE IS SITUATED ON THE PLATFORM OF PREMA-BHAKTI, ONE IS SAID TO HAVE ACHIEVED VIMUKTI, “SPECIAL MUKTI.” Therefore the word na is mentioned. That exalted platform of premā is described by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as premā pum-artho mahān, and mother Yaśodā naturally acts in such an exalted position in loving affairs. She is therefore a nitya-siddha devotee, an expansion of Kṛṣṇa’s hlādinī potency, His potency to enjoy transcendental bliss through expansions who are special devotees (ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ). Such devotees are not sādhana-siddha.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/10/9/20

Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram. If you accept this way of life, then your spiritual life will be open. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ [SB 5.5.2].

VIMUKTEḤ MEANS… VIMUKTI. MUKTI MEANS LIBERATION, AND, ADDING THE WORD, VI… VI MEANS SPECIFICALLY LIBERATION. THERE ARE FIVE KINDS OF LIBERATION. ONE LIBERATION IS TO MERGE INTO THE SUPREME. ANOTHER LIBERATION IS TO LIVE WITH THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD IN THE SAME PLANET. ANOTHER LIBERATION IS TO ACHIEVE THE STATUS QUO OF LIFE AS GOOD AS GOD. SĀRŪPYA, SĀYUJYA, SĀLOKYA, SĀMĪPYA. YOU CAN ASSOCIATE YOURSELF WITH GOD. THAT IS ANOTHER LIBERATION. IN THIS WAY, THERE ARE FIVE KINDS OF LIBERATION. Generally the Māyāvādī philosophers, they want to merge into the existence of God. That also, one of the recommended process of liberation. But so far we are concerned, we don’t want even to merge into the existence of God, but we want to become associated with God in friendship, in love, in servitude, in so many ways. We want to keep our existence, individual existence, and associate with God. That is the Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

So mahat-sevāṁ dvāram, if you associate with great souls… Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to produce some great souls. If people get opportunity to associate with great souls, then automatically his path of liberation will be open. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ [SB 5.5.2]. And tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. And if you associate with persons who are simply interested in sense gratification, then you must know that your door for going into the darkest region of ignorance is open. Two doors: one door to the path of liberation, and one door to the path of darkest region of ignorance. That means material existence. You know, in the material existence… Just like we are also living entities, and the cockroaches are also living entities. Do you know where they are living? Within the commode there are many germs, many worms, they are also living entities. They’re stool. There are worms in the stool. They’re also living entities. So we can fall down up to that point even. Don’t think that because we have got this beautiful body, nice situation, this is guarantee of any falldown. No. We can fall down any moment, in any species of life. There are 8,400,000 species of life. You should know it. And utilize this opportunity for opening the door of liberation. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ [SB 5.5.2]. And in order to reach to that door of liberation, you have to associate with persons who are devotees of Lord, mahat-sevā. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. Yoṣitām. If I simply avoid, myself, the process of sense gratification, but if I associate with persons who are addicted to sense gratification, then that is also very dangerous. That is also very dangerous, because saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ—my desires and my propensities will develop according to the association I make. A man is known by his company.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/sb/5/5/2/boston/april/28/1969

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So sādhu-saṅga [Cc. Madhya 22.83] is so essential. And sādhu’s symptoms are described. And suhṛdaḥ. Suhṛdaḥ. We have already explained. Suhṛdaḥ means well-wisher for everyone. His heart is full of well-wishing for everyone. “Everyone” means for Indians, nationals? No, sarva-dehinām. Sarva-dehinām, all bodies, even for the cats and dogs. A devotee wishes welfare even of the cats and dogs by giving him prasādam: “Take little prasādam.” So the dog will be also… There is an instance during Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s time. Devotees from Bengal were going to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and on the way a dog also began to follow them. SO THE LEADER OF THE PARTY, ŚIVĀNANDA SENA, HE WAS ALSO GIVING FOOD, PRASĀDAM, TO THE DOG, AND THEY HAD TO CROSS ONE RIVER, AND THE BOATMAN WOULD NOT TAKE THE DOG. ŚIVĀNANDA SENA PAID HIM SOME MORE MONEY, THAT “YOU TAKE THE DOG.” THIS IS VAIṢṆAVA, THAT “THIS DOG HAS TAKEN OUR COMPANY. HE IS GOING WITH US. HOW I CAN LEAVE HIM BEHIND?” SO HE PAID MORE MONEY: “PLEASE TAKE THIS DOG.” THIS IS CALLED SUHṚDAḤ SARVA-DEHINĀM [SB 3.25.21]. AND THE DOG WAS EMANCIPATED. HE WENT TO CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU, AND HE WAS SITTING AS DOG, AND CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU WAS EATING SOMETHING AND THROWING IT TO THE DOG. IN THIS WAY, THE DOG GOT VAIKUṆṬHA. THIS IS KṚṢṆA CONSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT, THAT THIS CONSCIOUSNESS, THIS SYMPATHY FOR EVERYONE, CAN DISPATCH EVEN A DOG TO VAIKUṆṬHA. SUHṚDAḤ SARVA-DEHINĀM.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/sb/3/25/24/bombay/november/24/1974

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Note: TO THE YAMADŪTAS OR TO THE BHAGAVAD-DŪTĀS. THERE IS NO THREE. TWO ALTERNATIVE.
Prabhupāda:

śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca
evaṁ te bhagavad-dūtā
yamadūtābhibhāṣitam
upadhāryātha tān rājan
pratyāhur naya-kovidāḥ
[SB 6.2.1]

SO TWO PARTIES, YAMADŪTA AND THE BHAGAVAD-DŪTĀ. SO THIS HUMAN LIFE IS THE JUNCTION, WHICH WAY TO GO, TO THE YAMADŪTAS OR TO THE BHAGAVAD-DŪTĀS. THERE IS NO THREE. TWO ALTERNATIVE. In the Bible also it is said, “Either you go to hell or go to heaven.” Is it not? This is right. YAMADŪTA MEANS GO TO HELL, AND BHAGAVAD-DŪTĀ MEANS GO TO VAIKUṆṬHA. THIS IS THE JUNCTION.

yānti deva-vratā devān
pitṛn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtejyā yānti bhūtāni
mad-yājino ‘pi yānti mām
[Bg. 9.25]

Now make your selection. So long we are in the lower animal life, nature is giving chance. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni [Bg. 3.27]. Then nature brings you in the platform of human life, developed consciousness, and you can take advantage of the śāstra. Anādi bahirmukha kṛṣṇa bhuli gela, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda purāṇa karilā. Veda-Purāṇa, why they have been made? It is made for the human being. This is the chance. Veda-Purāṇa is not made for the cats and dogs. They are not supposed to read Veda and Purāṇas. Similarly, if the human being does not take care of the Veda Purāṇas, then he is no better than the cats and dogs. Ataeva kṛṣṇa veda purāṇa karilā. To revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpta-varān nibodhata. This is the Vedic injunction. So long you were in the lower grade of life it was not possible for you to take the path of Vedas and Purāṇas. That was not possible. But now, even if getting the human form of life, if you live for sense gratification like cats and dogs, then the Yamadūta… Yamadūta. Kṛṣṇa nāma kara bhāi āra saba miche, palaye barā kathā naya yo māche piche.(?) These are very easily understandable. You cannot avoid Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not possible. If you avoid, then yo māche piche—the Yamadūtas will carry you. You can say, “I can do whatever I like. Why you are forcing me to become Kṛṣṇa conscious? I can do whatever I like. There is no need of your preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I am independent. I don’t believe in the next life.” That is the general statement of the rascals and fools. But the fact is different. If you don’t take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then Yamadūtas Then you’ll be punished. You cannot avoid. You are completely dependent on Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme, and you are the servant. You have declined to serve Kṛṣṇa; therefore you must be punished. This is the nature’s way. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī [Bg. 7.14]. You cannot escape.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/sb/6/2/1/vrndavana/september/05/1975

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

750207BG.HAW

Therefore pralayantam. Pralayantam means annihilation. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ [Bg. 8.6]. The result is at the same time… Because at the time of death, yaṁ yaṁ bhāvaṁ smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram. Pralayantam means at the time of death, when we give up this body. Upāśritāḥ. Then we get a similar body next life. That is, I mean to say, arranged by the nature’s law. Nature has nothing to do. It will automatically follow.

JUST LIKE YOU INFECT SOME DISEASE, NATURE’S LAW IS THAT YOU MUST SUFFER FROM THAT DISEASE. Nobody has got to do anything. The law is so… Nature’s law is like that. If you take more food than you can digest… (aside:) (child crying) Where is that child? Then immediately there will be dysentery. This is nature’s law. If you take more than you can digest, then immediately there will be indigestion, means you cannot assimilate so much food. THAT IS NATURE’S LAW. IF YOU TOUCH FIRE, EITHER YOU TOUCH OR YOUR INNOCENT CHILD TOUCH, THE FIRE WILL BURN IT. FIRE WILL NOT CONSIDER THAT “HERE IS A CHILD. LET ME EXCUSE.” NO, IT WILL BURN. THIS IS NATURE’S LAW. SIMILARLY, THE THOUGHTS WHICH YOU ARE MAINTAINING DURING YOUR LIFETIME, IF THAT THOUGHT BECOMES PROMINENT—NATURALLY IT BECOMES—AT THE TIME OF DEATH, THEN YOU ARE GOING TO GET A SIMILAR BODY. IF YOU ARE THINKING LIKE A DEMON, THEN YOU GET THE DEMON’S BODY NEXT LIFE. AND IF YOU ARE THINKING LIKE A DEVOTEE, THEN YOU GET YOUR NEXT LIFE BACK TO HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD. THIS IS NATURE’S LAW.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/bg/16/11-12/hawaii/february/07/1975

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So if you become perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness… Perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness means no more material desire. That’s all. Only Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. SO LONG YOU WILL HAVE A PINCH OF MATERIAL DESIRE, YOU WILL HAVE TO TAKE BIRTH. ACCORDING TO YOUR DESIRE, KṚṢṆA WILL GIVE YOU FACILITY. WHY THERE ARE SO MANY TYPES OF BODY, EIGHT MILLION? YAṀ YAṀ VĀPI SMARAN BHĀVAṀ TYAJATY ANTE KALEVARAM, SADĀ TAD-BHĀVA-BHĀVITAḤ [BG. 8.6]. WE ARE MAKING OUR NEXT BODY BY THINKING OF SOMETHING. WE HAVE GOT SO MANY THOUGHTS, MATERIAL THOUGHTS. SO AT THE TIME OF DEATH, WHEN THAT THOUGHT IS PROMINENT, THEN I GET THE NEXT MOMENT A BODY LIKE THAT. SO IF YOU SIMPLY THINK OF KṚṢṆA ONLY, THEN YOU GET A BODY WHERE BY WHICH YOU CAN GO TO KṚṢṆA. YOU CAN GO TO KṚṢṆA. TYAKTVĀ DEHAṀ PUNAR JANMA [BG. 4.9]. IT IS VERY SCIENTIFIC AND VERY PRACTICAL. So by going to Kṛṣṇa, you can talk with Kṛṣṇa personally. You can play with Kṛṣṇa personally. You can dance with Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa-loka. Just like we have got a picture, rāsa dancing. Here is picture, Kṛṣṇa’s. Everyone can get this opportunity. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes to show practically how enjoyable life with Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana. Kṛṣṇa is simply jolly, ānandamayo ‘bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). In Vṛndāvana life you will see, everyone is jolly. The birds, trees and the water, the land, the cows, the calves, the inhabitants, the cowherd boys—everyone is happy simply by loving Kṛṣṇa. Simply by loving Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa therefore manifests His līlā that “Why you are rotting in this material world? Come to Me and enjoy life eternally.” That is Kṛṣṇa business. He is so kind. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata [Bg. 4.7]. People, when they become debauch to enjoy life in this material world… What is the enjoyment? The last enjoyment is sex life. Is that very good enjoyment? But they have accepted. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. Maithuna means sex intercourse. That is their life and soul. They do not know. They have no information. There is better pleasure, eternal pleasure. That they do not know.

Therefore there is need of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to understand that… What is that? Niśamya bhagavan-mārgam, The way of God. The rascals do not understand what is God, they do not know what is the feature of God, and still, they will not accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are giving, “Here is God. Here is the form of God. He is so nice. He is so beautiful. His address is this. You can go there by this process.” “No. We don’t want.” “Then what you want?” “I want to become a pig. (laughter) That’s all.” “All right, you become pig. What can be done? And what shall you eat?” “I will eat stool. That’s all.” “All right. Not prasādam?” “No.”

So what can we do? We are distributing you prasādam, and he will go to eat some rascal thing in the restaurant. Just see. This is misfortune. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ [SB 1.1.10]. Because unfortunate in this age, they will accept something wrong. Therefore our task is very responsible. We have to canvass. We have to plead, solicit, “Please come here. Please come here in this temple and learn something.”

Thank you very much. (end)
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/sb/1/15/32/los_angeles/december/10/1973

 

(by Mahesh Raja)